Vapor-cooling system



L. P. BARLOW VAPOR COOLING SYSTEM June 1927.

Filed April 10, 1926 w KW fwazv'; larfgarz y i Patented June 14, 1927.

LESTER P. HARLOW, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

varorccoonmo SYSTEM.

Application filed April 10, 1926. Serial No. 101,062.

This invention relates to vapor cooling for internal combustion engines and more particularly those employed on motor vehicles.

My prior Patent No. 1,460,360 granted June 23. 1923, discloses a cooling system wherein the cooling medium whether solely liquid or vapor or a mixture of the two cir- -culates through a single circuit including the cylinder jackets, the cooleror radiator and the reservoir or tank containing the liquid and reserve supply. In such system. there is a continuous circulation of the liquid content through the cooler or radiator. thereby' delaying'quick and rapid vaporization at the cylinder jackets under all conditions of driving, loadand the atmosphere. Quick and rapid warming or heating up of the motor or engine and maintaining it substantially constant at the boiling temperature of the cooling liquid employed is desired, irrespective. of the conditions aforesaid.

One object of my present invention is to maintainthe liquid content ofthe tank or reservoir at the lowest possible operating temperature by having the tank or reservoir out of the operating circulation but directly connected therewith for supply and reserve purposes.

This also allows for a greater latitude in the selection of location for the supply tank or reservoir which feature is an extremely importantone in motor vehicle design. This allows the supply tank or reservoir to be placed wherever most desirable for ready and convenient access for'filling and such other attention as may be desired.

In vapor cooling systems, when a mechanical forcing unit is employed in the circulation. it is essential that this unit be located at approximately the lowest part of the circulation, due to the fact that liquids of high temperature as produced in these systems will not readily rise to pump suction.. but

' should flow freely and by gravity to the intake of the unit. In the present automobile design, this factor obviously necessitates locating this means at a low position in the chassis, thus exposing the unit to extreme atmospheric conditions especially in cold weather with the likelihood of quickly freezing when the system is idle because of the small and compact nature of the unit and its connections.

Another'object of my present invention is to protect this unit against the possible quick freezing when idle by locating it in a chamber containing the circulating medium, as for instance in a manifold constituting the connection between the two circuits and the supply reservoir.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved dome on top of the cylinder head for collecting the vapors generated in the jackets and for separating therein the vapors and the liquids of the system as well as cooling portions of the same in advance of the main cooler or condenser to reduce the amounts of vaporspassing to the same.

The invention consists further in the mattors hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig 1 is a'side elevational view (more or less diagrammatic) of an automotive power plant assembly equipped with a cooling sys- Ecru embodying the features of my inven ion:

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 through the dome on top of the cylinder block; and

Fig. '3 is a view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 with-the manifold and pump housings in section. 'In Fig. 1, 1 indicates the cylinder block and'2 the head, both formed with passages for the circulation of a cooling medium as customary in internal combustion engine design. The head 2 has a vapor collecting dome 3 extending above the liquid level 'a, the latter being preferably in the dome, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The dome 3 is connected with the upper portion'of a cooler or condenser 4 by a con duit 5. The cooler may take the form of an automotive radiator so as to fit in with present automobile designs. The lower portion of the cooler 4 is connected with a manifold 6 by a conduit 7 as shown in Fig. 1. This manifold is preferably located below the cylinder jacket 1 and the radiator or cooler 4.

Conduits 8 and 9 are connected with and extend upward from manifold 6. The upper end of the conduit 8 connects with the lower portion of the jacket 1 and the upper end of the conduit 9 connects with the dome 3 at approximately the liquid level a therein.

The cooling system includes a supply and reserve tank or reservoir 10 located below the jacket 1 and cooler 4. Aconduit 11 con nects the -lower portions of the tank 10 and manifold 6, respectively, so that the tank ifs 1allways in communication with the mani- Located within the manifold 6 is a mechanical forcing means which may take the form of a car pump 12. The inlet 13 of the pump Fig. 3) is within the manifold and in direct communication therewith. The discharge 14 of the pump is directly connected with the condult 8. This pump is preferably connected with a shaft of the engine so as to be driven thereby.

In utting the system in condition for operation, the tank or reservoir 10 is completely filled with cooling liquid through a filling opening or neck 15. The system has two vents 16 and 17 opening to the atmosphere. The vent 16 is preferably in the cap of the filling opening and allows liquid to flow to or from the tank. The other vent 17 is at the bottom of the cooler or condenser 4 and allows the lower portion of the system to fillwithout resistance. -When the tank is full, the liquid level stands approximately as indicated by the dotted line b. The tank 10 has a capacity to hold or contain substantially all of the cooling liquid required for the system and an additional reserve supply to compensate for normal losses in the system over a long period of time. The tank extends above the manifold 6 so that liquid completely fills the same and maintalns the pump 12 submerged for eflicient operation.

When the motor or engine is set in operation, the ump forces cooling liquid from the mani old 6 to the jackets 1 to fill the same, the supply for the pump flowing from the reservoir 10. When the jackets fill to level a, the liquid is returned to pump 12 through the larger conduit 9. This filling of the jackets 1 lowers tank level from b to c, the manifold 6 still being completely As the circuit defined by the pump 12 and the conduits 8 and 9 does not include the cooler or radiator 4, the latter has no cooling effect on the liquid passing through said circuit with the result that such liquid is quickly brought to the boiling point by the heat of the explosions in the engine cylinders shortly after starting the engine and constantly maintained at such temperature during the operation of the engine. Vapors rise from the boiling liquid in jackets 1 and collect in dome 3 where a portion of them are condensed by contact with the cooler walls of the dome and immediately dropped to level a to resupply the same with liquid. Vapors not so condensed pass into the upper portion of the cooler 4 and are condensed therein, the condensate flowing to the bottom of the cooler and returned to the system for use over again through the manifold 6.

.A. fan 18 is mounted between the dome 3 and the cooler 4 and is operated by the engine to draw air through the cooler and blow air over the dome to carry off heat from both.

The manifold 6 being completely filled with liquid prevents vapors from passing through the same from conduit 9 during the boiling operation. This provides a liquid seal at the lower end of the conduit, and re quires the vapors to pass to the condenser 4 through its upper connection 5.

The tank or reservoir 10 being offset from the manifold 6 is not included in the circuits passing through the manifold. This allows the liquid in the tank 10 to remain cooler than the liquids in the circuits passing through the manifold because none of the hot condensate flows through the tank to mix with the liquid therein as in the Grantier design. Thus, I can keep the supply liquid relatively cool, there being a reversible flow between the tank and system for supply purposes through the connection 11 between the tank and the manifold. To keep'the tank liquid above the freezing temperature in cold weather, I may pass the exhaust pipe 19 close to the tank so as to radiate heat thereto while the engine is in operation.

To protect the pump 12 from freezing in cold weather, I located the pump housing in the manifold housing so that there is a body of liquid about the former as shown in Fig. 3. These housings maybe separate parts or they may be made integral so as to be in one piece.

The dome may be provided with outwardly projecting fins 20 to radiate heat from the dome and thus make the dome serve as an auxiliary cooler for vapors of the system. The dome may be made of relatively thin material such as sheet steel or copper sheeting. The dome when made of this material may be readily stamped, pressed or formed into the desired shape therefrom.

When the dome is built separately from the head 2, it may be secured thereto by screws 21 or by welding, the dome and head having suitable flanges 22 and 23 for the purpose.

Of the two circuits provided in the system, one conveys the vaporsv and condensate to the manifold 6 and the other handles the liquid content. The manifold is a coupling between the two circuits and may be located at the lowest possible practicable point in the system. With the pump 12 in the manifold, the pump is similarly located and is always flooded for action. The dome 3 being in advance of the cooler 4 and being purposely designed to have condensin properties aids the main cooler t and re was the lead n the l t The details of structure shown and described may be variously changed and modified without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines the combination with a cylinder jacket and a condenser, of two circuits, one for conveyin vapor from the jacket to the condenser an condensate therefrom, and the other permitting circulation of cooling liquid through the jacket without passing through the condenser, a circulating pump in the system, and a reservoir located below the jacket and connected with both of said circuits to supply liquid thereto but disposed out of the path of either of the circuits.

2. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket and a condenser, of two circuits, one for conveying vapor from the jacket to the condenser and condensate therefrom, and the other permitting circulation of cooling liquid through the jacket without passing through a condenser, a circulating pump in the system, and a reservoir located below the jacket and having a single inlet connection with both circuits but disposed out of the circulatin path of either of the same,

3. In a coo 'ng system for internal com bustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket and a cooler, of a supply reservoir located below the jacket, twocircuits, one for conveying vapor from the jacket to. the cooler and condensate therefrom, and the other permitting the circulation of cooling liquid through the jacket without passing through either the cooler or the reservoir, a manifold providing a connection between the circuits below the jacket, said reservoir being connected to the circuits through the manifold, and a circulating pump in the manifold and in connection with the circuits and reservoir, respectively, said manifold forming a liquid jacket for the pump.

4. In a cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket and a cooler, of twocircuits, one for conveying vapor from the jacket to eoolen and condensate therefrom, and the other permitting circulation of cooling liquid through the jacket without passing through the cooler, a manifold providing a connection between the circuits below the jacket and containing sufficient liquid to form a seal to prevent the vapor from enterin the cooler other than at the upper end 0 the same, a supply reservoir connected with the circuits through the manifold, and a circulating pump in the system and located in the manifold.

5. A cooling liquid circulator for use in vapor cooling systems for internal combustion engines, said circulator comprising a manifold having a liquid circulating chamber with inlet openings adapted to be connected with the condenser and supply reservoir, respectively, of the system and a pump mechanism located with its outer casing in said chamber to be surrounded by the liquids therein and having communication with said openings.

6. The combination with the acketed cylinder portion of an internal combustion engine and the condenser of the vapor cooling system for said engine, of a reservoir containing a supply and reserve quantity of cooling liquid for the system, said reservoir being located below the jacket and disposed out of the active circulation of the system but connected therewith in a manner permitting a reversible flow of liquid between the reservoir and the system for feeding the latter without passing through either the jacket or the condenser, and means providing a vent for the reservoir.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afiix my signature, this 2 day of April, 1926.

- LESTER P. BARLOW. 

